Card feeding machine



Oct. 3, 1961 w. J. WHEELER ETAL 3,

CARD FEEDING MACHINE File. Dec. 50, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 w R E CLLZ T wmw A 0 1 A a wuN m M M A p R MM III/4.41. w v.

(1 mm 6 WW G ma 66 w. J. WHEELER ETAL 3,002,751

CARD FEEDING MACHINE Oct. 3, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30, 1958FIG. 3

Oct. 3, 1961 w. J. WHEELER ErAL 3,

CARD FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 VACUUM (101)1961 w. J. WHEELER ETAL 3,

CARD FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 50, 1958 United States Patent G r3,002,751 CARD FEEDING MACHINE Wendell J. Wheeler, Endwell, and HermanJ. Klotz,

Endicott, N.Y., assignors to International Business MachinesCorporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 30,1958, Ser. No. 783,921 Claims. (Cl. 271-60) This invention relates tohigh speed card feeding systems for business machines, and, inparticular, to a mechanism for feeding flat cards, warped cards andcards containing various degrees of damage due to repeated usage at highor low speeds in sorting, collating, punching, or other like businessmachines.

In prior card feeding machines, the general operation is to stack thecards in a container known as a hopper and singly remove the cards fromthe hopper by a drum or oscillating picker arm. The cards then singlypass through a throating device into a set of feed rolls in the cardtransport section. Additional feed rolls then transport the cardthroughout the machine where various operations are performed. Theseoperations may be in the nature of sorting, collating, or punching, etc.

In attempting to operate present machines at higher rates of speed, theedge of the cards become mutilated so as to jam the machine. Also,present machines fail to properly locate the critical areas of the cardin relation to the throating device and picking surface of theoscillating picker arms. Jamming occurs since very small clearances areprovided in the throat for the cards in order to separate them andcontrol their movement. Therefore, when the edge of a card becomesmutilated, it becomes greater than the allowable clearance and cannotpass through. Also, the mutilation may cause the cards to fail to settleinto proper picking position at the instant motion is imparted to thecard by the oscillating knife arm.

This invention is particularly concerned with increasing the speed withwhich cards are removed from the hopper by improving the manner in whichthe cards are positioned in the hopper, and the alignment which thecards have at the picker knife and throat. For purposes of thisinvention, the term card positioning or alignment is intended to coveraccurate alignment of the marginal edges of the card with respect to thepicker knife and throat just prior to and during the period of beingpicked from the hopper. Also, for purposes of this invention, a pickerknife is intended to cover the mechanism for picking the card, whichincludes the picker knife block upon which the surface of the cardrests; and the picking knife surface, which is a raised portion on theblock which engages the marginal or trailing edge of the card.

It was previously thought that the major limitation on the speed ofdelivering cards was the acceleration forces necessary to move thepicked card from zero speed up to card transport speed. Althoughacceleration forces are a limiting factor, the limit was thought to bemuch lower than actually possible. Tests have shown that the limit ofacceleration forces that a card can withstand is considerably higher, ifother factors were and could be improved. One of these other factors hasbeen found to be alignment of the card with the picking knife surfaceand at the gap at the throating device.

The prior arrangements for feeding cards do not pro vide adequate meansfor permitting the card to settle in the hopper at the critical pickingand throat position. Without such adequate means, the cards areadversely influenced by the pressure applied to the card, the resiliencyof the mass of the card, the friction on the edges of the card by thehopper, card thickening due to handling and repeated hammering of thepicker knife, and the shape or warp of the card. These and other suchconditions are determining factors as to whether the card is in propercondition and proper picking position. Although card positioning andcard condition become more important at high speeds, they exist at lowspeeds as well. If the card. is not in proper condition or the card isnot in proper picking or throat position, improper alignment willresult. in unacceptable card damage. When the leading edge of the cardbecomes mutilated, it becomes greater than the allowable clearance andcannot pass through the throat. Also, if the trailing edge becomesmutilated due to repeated hammering of the picker knife, the tendency ofthe card to remain in engagement with the picker knife is reduced.

"In the prior card feed arrangements, some of the warp was eliminated bythe weight of the cards themselves. Also, weights were added to thetopof the stack to exert pressure on the cards to take out some of theWarp. By increasingt he pressure on. the cards, less card damage wasfound to take place at those speeds at which they were operating.Although this decreased card damage, it was found that the pressurecould not.

be controlled so that it could be exerted at the critical picker knifeand throat areas.

In prior arrangements, the card drifted in the hopper so that the pickerknife required a relatively large travel at low velocity before engagingthe card in order to insure that the velocity at card engagement wouldnot cause card damage. After the picker knife and card engagement, largeaccelerations were necessary in order to get the card up to speed in thetime allotted. No means were provided for accurately positioning thecard at the same instant in the card cycle so that the picker knifewould not have to pass through substantial displacement to insureengagement of the card at low velocity.

in other prior arrangements, a vacuum assist feeding arrangement is usedto pull the card down on the bed plate. fIn those arrangements, thevacuum ports are positioned away from the critical picking and throatareas instead of being positioned at the critical areas.

-It has been found that, although the vacuum ports are positioned nearthe critical areas, it is unsatisfactory for high speeds and may not besatisfactory at low speeds. This is due to the tension created on thecard at the vacuum ports which tends to raise the marginal edges of thecards. Since the picking knife surface itself is about .005 to .006 ofan inch and the thickness of the card is about .007 of an inch, the edgeof the card need not be raised very much to result in poor card topicker knife engagement. This condition results in high card damage athigh speeds as well as low speeds. In addition, no means is provided inthe prior arrangement for aligning the card to the picker knife justprior to the picking operation.

We have discussed only a few prior arrangements. However, each of theother prior arrangements also fail to provide a means for obtaining goodcard conditioning and card positioning at high speeds with the criticalthroating device and picking knife surface just prior to and during thepicking operation. Therefore, it is an object of this invention toincrease the speed of feeding cards while maintaining minimal carddamage by providing accurate card positioning means irrespective ofgenerally unfavorable card condition such as warp, mutilation orthickening.

It is another object of this invention to create attractive forcesbetween the card and picker knife block and throat in such a manner thatthe trailing and leading edges of the card are pulled down against thesurface of.

' of picker knifetq card engagement.

3 the picker knife block and at the gap at the throating device prior toand during the picking operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a card feedingmechanism which. has sufficient attractive force created between thecard and picker knife to not only pull the next card down onto thesurface of the picker knife block, but to carry thev card rearwardagainst the hopper posts so as to accurately align the card with thepicking knife surface just prior tothe picking operation.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a cardfeedingmechanism which is capable of providing a braking or retarding action tothe card being delivered so that it seats against the picking surface ofa picker knife as the picker knife moves forward.

It is another further object of this invention to reduce the distancethe picking knife surface of the picking knife must travel beforeengaging the trailing edge of a cardto provide minimum velocity atengagement of the picking knife surface and the card.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a card feedsystem in which a vacuum is applied substantially contiguous to andacross the base of the picking knife surface of a picker knife so as toact on that por tion of the card adjacent the trailing edge of the cardthat is engaged by the picking knife surface, to thereby insure theseating of the trailing edge of a mutilated, warped or flat card on thepicker knife block all along the picking knife surface.

Briefly stated, and, in accordance with one aspect of this invention, weprovi de a hopper and picker knife arrangement for feeding cards inwhich vacuum is utilized as the at-t ractive force applied at thethroating device and across the base of the picking knife surface so asto attract the leading edge of the card to the surface of the throatblock at the opening between the throating block and throating knife andthe trailing edge of the card to the surface of the picker knife block.On thereturn stroke, the picker knife vacuum orifices are exposed to thecards so as to carry the next card backwardagainst abutment means toaccurately align, the card with the picking. surface of the picker,knife, so thatthevacuum pulls the card down onto the surface of thepicker knife block, and the card is, accurately aligned with thepickingknife surface of the picker knife just prior to the pickingoperation. The lateral position ofthe card and picking surface of the;picker knifeare carefully maintained insuring completeinstant controlover the velocity Therefore, as the card is movedout ofthehopper,thevacuum exerted at the picking, surface and throat is effectivetorinsure that thesurface ofthe card-is seated tothe base of the pick:ing knife. surface. and that line contact between thecard and pickingknife surface is maintained ratherthanpoint. contact.

While thespecification concludes with claims particu; larly pointing outand distinctly claiming the subject matter which We regard asourinvention, it is believed the invention will be better understoodforthe following description taken in connection'with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a sorter to, which ourinvention could be applied.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional View showing the picker knife, throat andvacuum system.

FIG, 3 is a perspective view ofthe arrangement of the picker knife andthroat-in the hopper.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the throating device.

FIG. 6. is an enlarged View of the pickerknife.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic View of a. sorter is shown in whichthe numeral, generally designates a card sorting machine. Although theinvention will be described in connection with a card sorting machine,the invention is intended to be used; with other types, of machines suchas collators, and those machines where delivery of. cards is requiredat. highspeeds, or in. those cases where a high level of reliability ofthe card feeding devices is required. The card sorting machine generallyincludes a hopper 12 which contains a deck of cards 14 adapted to beremoved singly by a pickerknife 16, the picker knife being, oscillatableabout the pivot 17. The picker knife 16- engages the bottommost card ofthe deck and'passes it through a card separation means-which includes athroat shown at =18. The picker knife 16 moves the card sufficiently tobe passed into the first feed rolls 20 whose peripheral velocityapproximately matches the lineal velocity of the card, imparted to it bythe picker knives, at the instant the card is engaged by the feed rolls.The peripheral velocity of the feed rolls alsomatches the linealvelocity of the card throughout the remainder of the transport portionof the feed.- Thefeedrolls 20 deliver the cards to the card transportfeed rolls- 21 which are all operated :at a constant speed. Afterpassing through the feed rolls 20 the cards are'sensed at 22 so as tooperate magnets 24 in the well-known manner. The operation of theappropriate magnet actuates one of several chute blades 26 to deflectthe card into that pocket 28 coinciding with the information sensedonthe card.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the hopper 12 is, in general, constructed inthe same manner as prior hoppers and. contains a hopper front wall 34,hopper side walls 36 (only one shown), and hopper posts 38 (only one ofwhich is shown in position in FIG. 3). These define the hopper and areslightly larger than the cards so that they canbe joggled to avoid cardjams. Cutout portions 46) are provided in the hopper front wall toprovide clearance for card guide rolls 41 and for the first feed rolls20. A throat knife blade =42 is shown fixed to the front wall andterminates into a knife edge 43 to form a throat with the throat block52. Referring to FIG. 2, the front wall is bent so as to form the upperportion 44 of a throat chute 45 which provides card guidance into thecard transport section.

In order to help support the deck of. cards, a bed plate 46 is provided.The bed plate contains U-shaped cutout portions 48, the purpose of whichwill be hereinafter more fully explained. Another cutout portion 50 isprovided in which the throat block 52 (FIG. 2) is mounted.

In order to pull the cards down and to locate the leading edge of thecard in the gap at the throating device, the throat block 52 contains acavity 54 for applying a vacuum to the cards. A throat plate 56 coversthe cavity and is secured to thethroat block 52 by bonding. The throatblock is secured to a tie bar or support member 53 by screws or the likeas shown at 57. Slots 58 are provided in the throat plate 56 and arepositioned opposite to the knife edge 43 of the throat knife 42 so as toexert a suction on the surface of the leading edge of the card. Theknife edge 43 and that portion of the plate 56. which contains the slots58. define the throating device for, separating the cards. These arespaced to let one card through at a time. The vacuum applied oppositethe throat knife43 insures that the leading edgeof a mutilated or warpedcard will not spring up to jam in the. throat.

In order to provide a vacuum to the slots 58, We pro-. vide a conduit 60which is connected to. the cavity 54 and to a source of .vacuum as shownat 62. The vacuum can be created by a pump, or the like (not shown), andthe details of which forms no part of this invention.

In order to readily place cards in the hopper, a. depression 64 isprovided. This enables the operator to insert his hand underneath thecard deck and slide the deck in place, The bed plate 46. containsextensions 66 which combine with the upper portion 44- to form the cardguide 45.

Thegpi ker knife 16. (FIG. 1) is oscillated toand fro inthecutoutportions 48; (FIG, 3) to removethebottommost card from the deckof cards in the hopper by a drive mechanism (not shown). The drivemechanism operates a shaft and drive gear 70 (FIG. 4) so as to operateidler gears 72. One of the idler gears 72 drives a cam shaft gear 74,while the other drives a feed roll gear 75 for driving the feed rolls20. The cam shaft gear 74 is mounted on a cam shaft 76 which has mountedthereon cams 78. The earns 78 are designed to give the picker knife theproper timing for picking the cards in relation to the other operationsto be performed by the.

machine. Followers 80 are provided to ride on the cam surfaces and aremounted on lever arms 82, which lever arms are connected to a hollowpicker knife drive shaft 84. This arrangement oscillates the pickerknife when driven by the drive mechanism. The lever arms are connectedto the hollow picker knife drive shaft 84 by clamping members 86.Clamped to the hollow picker knife drive shaft are a pair of pickerknife arms 88 (FIG. 2) each containing a passageway 90. The passageway90 extends into a picker knife block 92, which picker knife blockcontains a cavity 94. A picker knife plate 96 containing slots 98, isbonded over the cavity 94 to the block 92. A picking knife surface 100is shown as a raised portion on the picker knife block 92 extendingabove the plate 96 and is contiguous to the slots so that any vacuumwill pass directly over the knife surface 100. The slots 98 and pickingknife surface are contiguous to insure that the trailing edge of thecard will respond to the Vacuum so as to seat at the base of the pickingsurface. A source of vacuum is provided as shown at 101 which is capableof applying vacuum at the slots 98 through the hollow picker knife driveshaft opening 91, passageway 90 and cavity 94.

In order to provide a means for obtaining line contact rather than pointcontact between the card and picking knife surfaces 100, we provide ahopper post bar 102 (FIG. 3) having recessed portions 103 surroundingeach of the picker knife arms 88 and which support the hopper posts 38.Each of the hopper posts 38 are provided with a recess 164 (FIG. 2) forreceiving the picker knife block 92.

In order to maintain the acceleration or impact forces on the card at aminimum, the excursion of the picker knife, with the aid of appropriatecam design, is kept to a minimum by the abutment or front edge 106 ofthe hopper posts 38 being positioned just ahead of the picking knifesurface 100 when the picker knife is in its rearward-most position asbest seen in FIG. 4. The abutment provides a means for making theexcursion very small that the picking knife surface must travel prior toengaging the card. Since engagement will now come at a known exactposition and at the beginning of the acceleration curve or period, thevelocity of the picker knife to card engagement can be kept to aminimum.

Operation picker knife block to drag the second card back against thehopper post 38 at the abutment 106 so as to accurately alignit to thepicking knife surface 160. The action of the picker knife on the cardduring the return stroke is best exemplified by FIG. 6. Referring now toFIG. 2, the bottom-most card is still shown masking the vacuum to thesecond card and the second card'deposited against the base of theabutment 106 to be ready for the next card cycle. This will occur whenthe first card has cleared the throat.

The timing is such that when the bottom-most card has cleared thethroating device at 43, the leading edge of the second card becomesexposed tothe vacuum at the throat and the picker knife can startdelivering the second card to the first feed rolls. Although the vacuumat the throat does not influence the aligning of the second card againstthe hopper posts, since it is blocked off, the vacuum at the throatproduces a friction drag on the second card about to be moved throughthe throat when the vacuum is not blocked off. However, this frictiondrag has practically no effect on the forward motion of the card exceptto retard the card until it is engaged by the picking knife surface 100.Since in its rearward position the picking knife surface 100 is spaced asmall distance from the trailing edge of the card just prior to picking,the card is retarded from forward movement until the picking knifesurface engages the trailing edge of the card. This is accomplished bythe vacuum acting on the leading surface of the card at the throat andrelying on slippage between the picker knife block surface and cardduring acceleration. The

cams 78 oscillates the picker knife 16. The bottom-most card is startedout of the hopper by the picking knife surface 100 engaging the rearedge of the card and moving the leading edge through the throat into thefeed rolls. As the bottom-most card is passed into the first feed rolls20, it masks the vacuum exerted through slots 58 at the throat knifeedge 43 so that the vacuum at the throat does not act on the secondcard. While the first card masks the second card, the picker knifebegins to return to its original position. While doing so, it pulls thesecond card down onto the picker knife block 92 or plate 96 by thevacuum at slots 98. This enables the vacuum forces at the throat aresuflicient to retain the card at the hopper .posts until engaged by thepicking knife surface. This action insures accurate alignment of thetrailing edge of the card against the picking knife surface which haspreviously accomplished during the return stroke of the picker knife.The vacuum exerted on the surface adjacent the trailing edge of the cardinsures positive seating on the picker knife block contiguous to thepicking knife surface at the point of engagement. The timing of themasking and unmasking of the throat vacuum ports with respect to theforward and rearward operation of the picker knife is an importantconsideration to insure that the braking action occurs during theforward stroke and not during the return stroke.

Therefore, if a particular card is warped, and some of its edges wouldnormally tend to be above the picking knife surface 100, the vacuum willact on the surface of the card adjacent the trailing edge to pull itdown on the picker knife block and to register the marginal edge of thecard with the picking knife surface. With the aid of the retardingeffect that the vacuum at the thrpat has on the card, the card willnaturally slide back against the abutment 106 on the hopper posts. Thefact that the picker knives pull the card back against the hopper postat the abutment 106 is assurance that there will be line contact ratherthan point contact of the picking knife surface 100 with the marginaledges of the card. This accurate alignment results in less card damageand permits higher acceleration of the card. This, therefore, results ina greater number of card operation by the picker knife without excessivecard damage, thereby extending the life of the cards.

The use of means for attracting the cards to the critical throating andpicking areas eliminates the need of using card weights on the deck of.cards in the hopper.

Although a vacuum system has been shown and described, for purposes ofthis invention, it is recognized that any means for pulling the carddown against the picker knife block 92 or plate 96 can be provided sothat the next card can be pulled against the hopper posts or any otheraligning means, and any means for retarding the card near the throatwould also respond to this invention. For example, electrostatic meanscan be provided between the cards and the picker knives and the-Although the vacuum slots. in the picker knife block have been describedas being contiguous to the picking knife surface, it is intendedthat theterm contiguous also cover slots that may be a small distance from thepicking. knife surface but suffici'ently close to effectively pull thetrailing edge of, the card down to the base of the picking knife surfaceto insure good registration and alignment.

While there havev been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferredembodiment, it is intended to cover all modifications and changes in theform and details of the device, illustrated'and in its op. eration thatmay be made by those skilled in the art, which. do not constitutedepartures from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that theinvention should'not be limited in any sense except as indicated'by thescope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A card feeding mechainsm comprising a hopper for supporting cards,picker means for picking the cards from the hopper, and hopper posts fordefining a rear portion of the hopper, and meansfor depositing the cardagainst the hopper posts before engagement by the picker means wherebythe card is initially positionedfor accurate alignment at the same pointof time for each card cycle.

2.. A card feeding mechanism comprising a hopper for supporting thecards, picker means for picking the cards from the hopper, and hopperposts for defining a rear portion of the hopper, the forward portion ofthe hopper containing a throat, vacuum means acting on the throat tohold the card down in alignment with the throat, and means fordepositing the card against the hopper post before engagement by thepicker means, whereby the card is initially positioned for accuratealignment at the same point of time for each card cycle.

3. A card feeding mechanism comprising a hopper for supporting cards,picker means for picking a card from the hopper, and hopper posts fordefining a rear portionof the hopper aligned with the picker means,vacuum means for co-operating with the picker means to deposit the cardagainst the hopper post before engagement by the picker means, wherebythe card and .picker means will have line contact when the picker meansengagesthe card;

4. A card feeding mechanism comprising a hopper for supporting cards,picker means for picking the. cards from the hopper, and hopper postsfor defining the rear portion of the hopper, a throat block, the frontportion of the hopper defining. a throat with the throat block, vacuummeans acting at the throat for holding the card down in proper alignmentwith the throat, and vacuum means at the picker knife for acting on the.bottom-most card during the return stroke so as to carry that, cardagainst the hopper posts to obtain accurate alignmentof the pickerknives with the card edge. 5. In combination, a hopper containing cards,hopper posts defining the rear portion of the hopper, a throat block,the front portion of the hopper and throat block defining a throat,vacuum means exerted at the throat, a picker knife, a picker knifeblock, a picking knife surface onthe block, an arm for supporting thepicker knife the picker knife block for pulling the next bottom-mostcard in the hopper during the return stroke of the picker arm to aposition against the hopper posts for alignment with the picker knifeand to pull the card down against the. picker knife block.

6. A form feeding mechanism comprising, in combination, a. hoppercontainingsuperposed forms; stationary means located at one end of thehopper; picker means for pickingsuccessive forms from the hopper duringsuccessive feeding strokes and advancing thempast the opposite end ofthe, hopper; and holding means associated with said picker means andeffective during the return stroke of the picker means to move, intoaligning contact with said stationary means, the form next to the onewhich has just been advanced, whereby such next form is in prealignedcontact with said stationary means prior to the succeeding feedingstroke of the picker means.

7. A form feeding mechanism comprising,,in combination, a hoppercontaining superposed forms; stationary means located at one end of thehopper; other means cooperatingwith the opposite end of the hopper todefine a throat; picker means for successively picking forms from thehopper during successive feeding, strokes and advancing them past thethroat; means at the throat to hold a form in contact with said othermeans as such form passes through the throat; and holding meansasssociated with said picker means and effective during the returnstrokeof. the picker means to move, into aligning contact'with said stationarymeans, the form next to the one which has just been advanced, whereby.such next form is in prealigned contact With said stationary meanspriorto the succeeding feeding stroke of the picker means.

8. A form feeding mechanism comprising, in combination, a receptaclecontaining superposed forms, picker means for picking successive formsfrom the receptacle during successive feeding strokes and advancing themout of the receptacle,v and means operative during each return stroke ofthe picker means to align a form within the receptacle just prior tosuch form being advanced by the picker means during its next followingfeeding stroke.

9.- A receptacle containing superposed forms, picker means for pickingsuccessive forms from the receptacle during successive feeding strokesand advancing them out of the receptacle, and means providing at leastone aligning surface, and means controlled by said picker means andresponsive to return movement of the picker means to effect relativemovement of a form into positive aligning contact with each aligningsurface before such form is picked and advanced by said picker means.

10. A form feeding. mechanism comprising, in combination, a hoppercontaining superposed forms; means providing at least one aligningsurface at one end of the hopper; picker means having at least onepicking surface for engaging the trailing edges of successive forms andadvancing them past the opposite end of the hopper during successivefeeding strokes; and holding means associated With said picker means andeffective during the return stroke of the picker means to move, intoaligning contact with each aligning surface, the form next to the onewhich has just been advanced, each picking surface being moved only aslight distance past each aligning surface at the terminal part of eachreturn stroke such that References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS Staude Dec. 15, 1908 Powers Apr. 10, 1928

